Daily Movie Rec 4/19/2023

Sisters of the Gion (1936)

"Have those people ever once treated us like human beings? Why should we care what they think?"

Directed by: Kenji Mizoguchi

Cinematography by: Minoru Miki

Country: Japan

Genre: Drama

Plot:

Adapted from Alexander Kuprin’s novel, The Pit, this story follows two sisters working as geishas: the elder content and in love with one of her clients, the younger - disillusioned with patriarchal society - willing to hustle anyone in order to escape.

Reasons to watch:

Mizoguchi uses his extraordinarily advanced film grammar to deliver a fiery chastisement about the mistreatment of geishas, and women in general, that packs enough of a punch to rock you in your face and stab your brain with your nose bone. The director himself was raised by a geisha in his formative years, his older sister, and it’s clear this film comes from a deeply personal place.

Where to watch:

The Criterion Channel